On Sunday I was invited to open the Footprints Ecofestival at Whites Creek Valley Park in Annandale.

Despite the rain, Inner West residents came out to celebrate the eighth year of the festival, participating in a variety of sustainable living workshops and visiting stalls representing community environmental groups. There was also a performance by Peppa Pig on the main stage for local families.

Cheree Toka was present at the festival gathering signatures for her petition to have the Aboriginal Flag flown permanently atop Sydney’s Harbour Bridge.

The online petition has over 90,000 signatures already, however 10,000 hard copy signatures are needed in order to be presented to the NSW Parliament and considered for debate.

Social equality and environmental sustainability are issues that need to be addressed locally as well as globally. The Footprints Ecofestival is an ideal forum for addressing these issues from the bottom up and I am looking forward to opening next year’s festival.